My take on the Howard Dean Tapes......

[Tony_FLADEM]

The comment about the caucus was a little damaging -- but I think he was criticizing the process not the actual voters who participate. The foreign policy comments are a positive because some people have assumed he knows nothing about international issues and his statements contradict this. The Bush is a moderate comment was made before he become president. I don't think that statement is a big deal. These comments were made on a television program. In 2000 there was a video of Bush at some party that was kind of embarrasing and it did not hurt his campaign.

[deminflorida]

1. Damage Control Alert....

Damage Control Alert

Damage Control Alert

Damage Control Alert

[WI_DEM]

10. you've been probably predicting the collapse of Dean's campaign

for a year now. Hopefully President Dean will remember Wes Clark with some little post in his administration or else the General probably could get a cable show on CNN or MSNBC.

[Clark Campaigner]

14. Clark has already been an important CNN contributor

But maybe Dean could go back to his community access TV show.

[worldgonekrazy]

22. You mean when he was championing the war?

Before he decided he was against it after becoming a candidate?

On edit: made subject line more appropriate

"And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice... people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there."

Wesley Clark, May 11, 2001

[October]

15. Really?

OK. Time to put on a sweater and a pair of duck boots.


<wink>

All in good fun -- I'm voting for the Democratic Nominee.

[madfloridian]

2. Actually I was impressed.

His anger at the statement about children of welfare mothers was very sincere, and he WAS angry. I was very glad he was angry.

Yes, he is extremely knowledgeable. It shows.

[slinkerwink]

3. I saw that also, and kudos to Dean!

what's happening in the other thread is just desperate spin.

[w13rd0]

6. Well, when desperate spin...

...and flashy nutrition free marketing gimmicks are all you have...they play the hand they are dealt.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Shows his calculating side

It's been a matter of observation for some time that Dean, a lifetime moderate, moved left for the primary season. Was this out of a natural internal evolution or, rather, a convenient political maneuver?

Probably something in between, but it doesn't help that a tape surfaces two weeks before Iowa with him saying the caucuses are dominated by liberals. Some people will feel like they're being played.

[October]

7. The GOP is the one that paints Dean as a liberal

Most liberals think Dean is centrist at best.

[w13rd0]

5. I know...

...I watched that and was like "huh, this is damaging HOW?" I want to see all the episodes he appeared in. He was totally rockin. "That's crap, unmitigated CRAP!" Yeah, lots of people thought Bush was a moderate, before he STOLE THE DAMN ELECTION! Most knew he was a corporate shill, but what Republican isn't? Many didn't realize just how much of a fraud he was, shall we kill them all now, or wait until right before the election? And the criticism of the caucus I completely agree with.

If they want to try and spin this as a) a secret, it's not, it was on canadian BROADCAST TV or b) horrible Dean (the tapes show that while staying consistent, Dean has perhaps realized that as Bush has pulled everything sharply right, a 'centrist' seems pretty damn radical...and c) yeah, he can get angry, he has every right to get angry...

[madfloridian]

8. When he attacked the guy about the welfare quote, it impressed me.

That is righteous anger.

[Jerseycoa]

9. Yes

I give him kudos for that.

[Dover]

11. I'm not a big Dean supporter....but I don't get what the big deal is

about these tapes. Interesting that NBC dug them up and waited until now to release them.

At any rate, these tapes aren't gonna change votes imo. But the media sure seems to hope they do damage.

[tedoll78]

12. I didn't see the big deal either.

Most people I talk to, regardless of whom they support, seem to feel the same way. The consensus here is that whomever is perceived to be in the lead will have things dug-up on him/her, even if the media has to twist/quote out-of-context/edit good words to get sh!t stirred. Without controversy, ratings go down, as does revenue.

[AP]

13. Bush is a moderate comment is bad because Dean defines himself by his

hatred of Bush. Now we see that this is a relatively recent phenomenon. Of course, he may have some new facts (who here is surprised?). However, it's the intensity of his hatred today compared to his relatively recent feelings otherwise that is interesting.

It would be like if he said Tom Delay was a moderate three years ago, while saying today that he's a guy with whom nobody can reason.

[trapper914]

19. Dean's take on Bush

If I understand correctly, it was prior to Bush taking office. Remember all that "compassionate conservative, uniter not a divider" stuff we heard from Bush, which he said while the U.S. had a surplus?

After three years, yeah, I guess one could change his opinion on Bush.

[mouse7]

16. My take? A big "who cares"

As long as there isn't anything on the "Howard Dean Tapes" like what was on the "Marion Berry tapes," the "DeLorean Tapes," or the "Nixon Tapes," it's a non-issue.

Dean said 8 hours to sit in the Iowa caucuses was too long. Ooooooooo. Looks like they agreed in Iowa, because they cut the length to 2 hours. Looks like Dean was right.

[bigtree]

17. Mouse, you would deny the air stank if Dean farted

It will be a hard row to hoe for Democrats if he gets the nomination. Lots to defend, less to attack Bush with.

[HFishbine]

18. You obviously

haven't checked in on this website:

www.deanfartssmelllikeroses.com

[Adjoran]

20. As an uncommited voter

I found the tapes to be less than advertised. Some minor inconsistencies, but you can't find a politician without those - and if you do, it is probably someone who is so entrenched in his ideology that he never changes his mind.

I think Dean's misstatements and missteps in the last month or so have hurt him, but these tapes are not fuel for that fire.

[bitchkitty]

21. I remember the chimpie video -

"only in America" he kept saying. Goddamned little weasel.

I think you're right - there's more good than bad in these tapes.